What is Multi Level Marketing (aka MLM)?
Multi level marketing is known as network marketing. This is a kind of business
where franchising and direct selling are combined. This business makes a person
associated to a company in an independent transaction approach. It is an
approach where the company creates a contactor relationship to the person who
wants to expand his business.
The members make their earnings based on the sales they have reached in that
particular product or service. It also includes the sales of the person that
they have recruited to join the business. Most of the time the individual who
has recruited more members and provided a good sales output on the product
compensate higher because of the effort to transact in two different fields.
There are "pyramid schemes" or Ponzi schemes, which are considered illegal.
Most people associate multi level marketing to these kind of schemes because
they also recognize themselves to be a legitimate networking business. Because
of the bad image brought up by these schemes, many prefer to use their names
for their businesses as "home based business franchising" or "affiliate
marketing".
Commissions are earned in the process of selling a particular product or
service in a legitimate network marketing. There can be no earnings in what
they call as a "sign up fee" or for just recruiting yourself alone. This kind
of marketing is always criticized because of the questionable recruitment
process where they get their revenue and profit. They get their sales from
members and new members, which are considered the end users of the product and
as the distributors.
These criticisms led to the major changes in the multi level marketing in the
early 1980s when many companies have started to allow their members to
concentrate only on marketing and not on distributing or stocking the product.
Most multi level marketing firms nowadays perform as fulfillment firms by
taking the tasks of shipping the product, paying the commissions and taking
orders from their clients.
Many people who are victims of the illegal schemes in multi level marketing are
required to buy expensive products, but most of these schemes do not last long
because most of the sales are not easily resold.
What's with MLM home based businesses?
Considering an MLM home based business?
If so, it could be a very lucrative home based business option for you. But you
should also know exactly whether or not what you are getting into is truly an
MLM home based business or something else. It may be a scam waiting to pounce
on you.
Plus, you need to weigh out the positives and negatives of an MLM home based
business before you decide that if it is the right business for you.
Making sure you are actually getting involved in a legitimate MLM home based
business is important to save yourself some difficulties later on.
An MLM home based business involves the direct selling of products or services
through the recommendations or endorsements of independent representatives.
If you are the representative, you receive a commission on any sales that came
from your endorsements.
Understand that most products sold through an MLM home-based business are not
necessarily advertised through mainstream media or in stores.
The confusing part of determining if your MLM home based business is genuine
can be quite difficult because of there are a number of pyramid schemes out
there that are dangerously similar to a legitimate MLM home based business
concepts. Remember, a pyramid scheme is illegal, and getting involved in one
can cause you more trouble than you can possibly imagine.
You will need to do your research into the MLM home based business that you are
considering so that you are sure that the kind of MLM home based business you
are going to run is valid and legal.
Usually if your investment is proportioned to the product or service you are
selling, your MLM home based business is valid.
There are a number of advantages to having an MLM home based business.
First of all, you will be working from home where you can virtually set your
own hours, which is probably why you are considering an MLM home based business
in the first place.
Also, you will not have to manufacture any products, because you are usually
selling things that are already made. The MLM home based business will usually
come with a pre-determined marketing plan.
Many people suffer through the process of determining the most effective
methods for marketing their products, but with an MLM home based business, you
are relieved of that stress. The disadvantage of having your own MLM home based
business, though, depends on your personality.
If you have good leadership skills and is a self-starter, then an MLM home
based business will pose a little hardship to you.
However, if recruiting and selling gives you hives, then starting and
maintaining an MLM home based business may be more of a challenge, since your
success depends on your ability to create a downline of recruits.
But then, having your own MLM home based business means that you can live out
your dream of being your own boss and having flexibility in your work schedule.
You do not need any prior experience, and you can rely on your personality to
recruit and maintain your downline. You only have to hard working and
consistent in getting downlines.
Do your research to make sure your MLM home based business is a legal business.
This way, you can truly enjoy the freedom and the profits that the MLM home
based business offers.
Nothing to lose in MLM home business
Home business MLM has never been easier these days. With the emergence of
electronic tools and other gadgetry, coupled with the Internet, your task has
been chopped down in half.
Nothing can beat the business or opportunity that MLM home business can give.
Besides, how do you beat working at home in your blue jeans, never going to an
office, and making more money than the people you might have worked for?
Once an MLM business is established and well under way, a typical week might
take 3 to 5 hours of some form of enjoyable work to keep your network running
smoothly. That's it. Your working day is finished.
It does not take a rocket scientist to make a network work. There are also no
magic bullets, books, software, devices, meetings, and tapes that can make it
any harder or easier.
Many years ago, just the thought of MLM affiliate programs, franchises and home
businesses are enough to scare people off.
The reason? All the extra hours that people have to put in to make things
happen.
There are also those MLM home business programs that say they are the best.
Only to turn out bankrupt in an instant. This and other reasons of the same
kind have marked MLM as phony and the people behind, not to be trusted.
If these people only had to think for a while, they would have realized that
there is no such thing as best program and best company. The concept of being
the "best" is depending on the characteristics inherent that is shown and is
approved by others.
Reading, studying and learning about MLM home business is the most effective
way. Then it would be now up to the marketer to think how he or she can input
those learnings in his own MLM home business.
In order to build your MLM home business, you need to understand one simple
aspect. It is a business and definitely not a hobby. Also remember that nothing
is free.
So it is best to understand up front that you are going to spend some time and
money. That simple.
Understand also that things being offered for free are not likely to be useful
and effective. If things are free then you probably will get free stuff that
would not work.
Find a product or service that you really like. Join a company that sells just
that. Then build your own MLM home business using a system that can work using
the internet.
If this is like the other types of business, you will need the necessary
business skills to run their new venture to ensure its success.
However, an MLM home business marketer needs no special skills to run their
multi-level system. Any skill a network marketer may need, they can learn while
running their MLM home business based from their marketing plan.
MLM home business is a smart business sense for anyone wishing to start a
home-based trade.
There are many benefits to MLM home business. It cost next to nothing to get
started, you get a proven system like that of a franchise opportunity and you
can be in profit in months rather than in years.
Therefore, if you desire more income while still working a 9 to 5 job, or to
build your retirement income then should seriously consider MLM home business
as your vehicle for you and your family's financial well being.
Traits to look for in an MLM consultant
MLM consultants have gotten to be a popular figure in the network marketing
business. There are many good ones out there, and there are not so good ones as
well. You must know what to look for, before you spend a dime on them.
You should know that some MLM consultants are actually network marketers that
say they are consultants. You must understand that consulting is a career and
profession that demands many things.
Being a network marketer does not automatically qualify one as an expert, even
if they have had great success in MLM. Maybe they were just in the right place
at the right time and with the right people. That can happen also.
Here are five things to look for in a good MLM consultant.
1. A track record that is available for inspection.
Any good MLM consultant will keep their track record available for any kind of
inspection by a future client. They have nothing to hide, they do not want to
in the first place. The results they have accomplished speak for themselves.
Ask them if they have some clients you could talk to or get some kind of
testimonial. Track records in consulting can mean the difference between
spending money and getting little or spending money and getting a lot. Check
what they have done and not what they said they have done.
2. Check for their credentials.
What kind of solid credentials do they have that would warrant you spending
money with them? What kind of education about MLM do they have? What are their
work experiences? Do they have the right business experience? Have they ever
run a business before? What kind of degree do they have?
Credentials are important in modern day consulting. This is not only for you
but also for the results you seek from an MLM consultant. Most consultants have
a portfolio they can show you. Ask for it and study it.
3. Look for professionalism.
Professionalism is a must in any field of consulting. Do they come across as a
professional? Do they speak as a professional? Do they communicate in a
professional manner?
Being a professional speaks well of a consultant. Do they do their business
with a smile on their face? These questions will tell a lot about an MLM
consultant and how they will handle things in any future venture.
4) Problem solver.
Do they ask questions that are focused on your problem, or questions that are
focused on being a consultant?
There are many questions that consultants ask that are all part of being an MLM
consultant. You are looking to hire them to solve a problem, not be a
consultant. Make sure their questions are focused on moving you forward, not
just creating conversation.
That is what MLM consultants get paid for- to solve problems, not to engage in
a fruitless exercise.
5) Experienced in the MLM business.
It is true that there are MLM consultants that have never spent an hour in the
MLM field. They have never recruited anyone. They have never sold a product in
MLM. They have never held a Company Event for a team. They have never done a
presentation around a kitchen table, or a home meeting. But yet, they consider
themselves as an MLM consultant.
Make sure that the MLM consultant has some experience in the field, as that
alone brings a wealth of knowledge that many do not have.
Looking for a MLM opportunity to start your own business?
A good MLM opportunity is to work from home.
Working at home can give the freedom you want and the income that you deserve.
This way, you can be there for your children, cook dinner, and still get in a
few hours of work before bed. A work at home MLM business opportunity can be
very attractive but you must be careful to select one that works for you.
Technology has improved customer service, and relationships with MLM workers
and commissions can be utilized in ways not possible before.
All of this started in the 1950's with nutritional supplements, household
products, and cosmetics. It can be noted that MLM opportunities boomed in the
1980's with insurance and long-distance telephone services. As the twenty-first
century approached, improvements in technology really helped the MLM industry.
The industry has expanded into credit cards, travel, and pre-paid legal
services aready. MLM opportunities can adapt as technology evolves.
The combination of technology and old-fashioned salesmanship makes MLM popular
for everyone including those in the business world. You can earn money from the
down line of your recruits' sales and their recruits' sales and so on.
There is no overhead if you work at home, and advertising can be based on word
of mouth. There is also no inventory, no collections, and no receivables. You
do not have to see the customer, and the product is shipped to them. MLM has
acquired a bad reputation through media reports, but many companies including
mainstream ones do it legally and successfully.
Take note. When selecting a MLM business opportunity for your own, look for one
that has been in the business for a number of years. Take note that many scams
are often fly-by-night operations.
But this does not mean that you have to avoid younger companies. Look carefully
before you take a leap of faith. Make sure that they have a good training
program in place, a fair compensation plan worked out and products that have
already been tested for quite some time.
A home-based MLM opportunity has three qualities; control of time and money,
continual salary, and steady growth that multiplies. By trying to control your
time, you can reap from your efforts.
When comparing MLM opportunities, think of yourself first. Choose a business
that fits your interests and talents. Do not think you can be molded to fit
others. Examine what you want and the one that is fitting to your knowledge and
background. Many times your life experiences can add greatly to a company's
offerings to create a perfect blend. Take time to select the MLM opportunity
that is right for you.
Many who become involved in a MLM business start out on a part time basis. This
is a wise advice for everyone considering the opportunity to get into
self-employment.
Keeping your day job will insure adequate income to meet your household and buy
you enough time to get the business established. By keeping your current ties in
the business world, you can attract them as customers to the new endeavor you
wish to take.
MLM opportunities are waiting for your first chance to grab them. When
choosing, remember that if something is too good to be true, it probably is.
Many companies sky-high dreams with little else.Keep your wits when looking at
MLM opportunities and you will definitely land with your feet on the ground.
What has the holidays got to do with your MLM network marketing?
What can you do to accelerate your MLM network marketing business during the
Holiday season and gets it going during what most people think as the "sluggish
time" of the year for network marketing?
Some things you can do for your MLM network marketing success during the
holidays.
1. Fruit baskets.
You can get inexpensively small fruit baskets, put your samples or coupons in
and decorate it in the colors of your MLM network marketing company.
Include an invite to a seminar that they can attend at not cost. Give them out
to friends, neighbors, associates, clients, customers, and family. You will
glad you did.
2. Holiday audio cards.
Send out with your Christmas cards a CD you recorded especially for that
person, and wish them happy holidays. Then tell them you would love to chat
with them at the start of the year because you want to give them the gift of
success.
This is a great way to introduce the concept of MLM network marketing success
to these folks. 3. Hold a holiday customer appreciation luncheon or reception.
You can do this at your home. Simply invite your best MLM customers to a
holiday appreciation event, and make them the superstars of that party.
Have small gifts for them, and let them know how much you appreciate their
business. Then ask them for referrals for the coming year. You will get them
from every single person who was at that event.
4. Holiday upline open house.
If you have an organization, you could either open your house or someone who
has a sizeable home and invite your MLM network marketing distributors to an
open house.
Have them bring guests. Have a party that celebrates the holidays but is
sponsored by your company. Let it be a fun social with music and games, and
then connect with the guest to follow up in January.
5. Neighborhood holiday mailer.
Go to the library, and look in the cross-reference index for your address. You
will notice there are a ton more in that index that are in your neighborhood.
Make a copy of the addresses, as they are your neighbors, then send them a
Christmas card introducing yourself as their neighborhood rep, and wish them a
Merry Christmas and Happy new year.
Then follow up in January and see if you can set an appointment to chat with
them about your MLM networking products. Telephone numbers are included on the
cross-index reference guides found in your library. You are their neighbor, and
that gives you some instant connection with them.
6. Visit community holiday functions.
The thing is to connect, connect and connect. You need to connect to new
prospects during the holidays and community functions are a great way to do
this. Get out and become a "holiday MLM network marketing machine."
Network and meet people and make new friends and give away something to them as
a holiday gift. Make sure every person you talk to has a gift and your card. And
that you have some form of contact info as well. Check your Sunday newspaper for
where these events are.
7. The holiday success card.
Send people you know, and also prospect a seasonal card, and include within it
an article about success, goal setting, leadership, time management, or any
other success oriented topic. This will set you apart from the rest.
Rock your MLM network marketing business during the holidays. You will be
surprised at what might happen to your business.
How to fail in MLM marketing
A few problems that some new MLM marketing people have:
1. No upline support.
Once a person joins a new MLM marketing program, he or she is vulnerable and
needs a lot of help from something or someone.
In many cases, the uplines are not actively helping them. This happens a lot
when the uplines are simply sponsoring as many people as they can with no
regard to what happens to them after they get sponsored.
In most standard MLM marketing programs, it is important that the new person
gets immediate assistance from a local person, or tools that you have.
Otherwise their chances for survival are very slim.
2. New MLM marketers cannot sell.
This is probably the major reason most people do not make it MLM marketing. By
using standard MLM techniques, you have got to sell and learn how to speak at
opportunity meetings and the like.
3. MLM'er cannot generate good leads.
Next to the selling problem, this has to be the next biggest reason most people
fail in MLM marketing.
Here is a picture of what normally happens. The new person has just signed up
in an exciting MLM program. He is taught by the manuals, meetings and so forth,
how he should "share" his product with his friends, neighbors and relatives.
Normally, he is not comfortable with this, and if he is typical, he will have
many sleepless, tossing and turning nights. He just doesn't want to "impose" on
his friends! He would feel a lot more comfortable just presenting his
opportunity to strangers.
4. No true duplicative system.
If the MLM marketing company must be promoted through expensive methods, this
is not feasible. Learning how to sell, or to speak and conduct an opportunity
meeting is just not duplicative. Only a few people can do this. Here again, is
a very important reason a lot of would be MLM'ers die on the vine.
5. Selling by mail using standard MLM techniques.
Traditional way to marketing MLM is to spend all spare time to call around and
travel around to get prospects. A lot of people already have full time job, it
is hard to find extra time to travel and make phone calls. This is why these
MLM marketers cannot keep their program going.
6. The marketer is not sure about the MLM marketing company or service.
Often a person will sign up in a MLM marketing program in a "fit of
excitement." After the dust clears, he comes down to earth and reality slowly
sets in.
Pick an established and financially sound MLM company that is at least two
years old with unquestionable products or services. That way, you can feel good
about the company and products that you are promoting. There is nothing quite
like being able to "tell the complete truth" to your prospective customers.
7. They do not stick with it long enough.
Starting any company takes time, and this is true with an MLM marketing program
as well. By the time you study the program, write and receive literature: study
this and sign up; get the literature, etc. a lot of time has been spent. And
then you have to generate your leads and so on.
It will take several months before you can expect much of anything to happen to
your MLM marketing. You should set in your mind that you are going to stick with
this for at least sometime. That just makes good business sense.
MLM genealogy leads; why and why not?
Working MLM genealogy leads can be an effective method of building your network
marketing business. This is because one of the biggest hurdles that you face in
recruiting has already been overcome for you; getting the prospect to buy into
network marketing as a legitimate business model. All because of your MLM
genealogy leads.
However, it is common knowledge that MLM genealogy leads is far from perfect.
The person you call on a genealogy list may be very happy with their current
opportunity and not open to looking at anything.
They could be a wholesale customer or not working the business. They could be
inactive and may even be out of the industry altogether.
One of the biggest threats to working MLM genealogy leads is the Do-Not-Call
Registry. Recently, the number of phone numbers registered under Do-Not-Call
Registry surpassed 100 million. That number is significant, because the
Registry has only been in operation for over two years.
Apparently, these people are getting wiser into the kind of marketing being
offered everyday. Some of the opinions based on generalizations and experience
may be.
One study run over 100,000 MLM genealogy leads through the DNC scrubbing
process. It was found out that approximately one-third of the people on the
list were on the Do-Not-Call Registry. In the North Eastern states, that number
even reached up to over 50%.
If you are planning to call MLM genealogy leads, protect yourself by having
your list scrubbed against the Do-Not-Call Registry. Many companies are already
providing this service. Just make sure that you are dealing with a reputable one.
Even with these downsides, there are still plenty of reasons to work MLM
genealogy leads. They are very inexpensive when compared to most MLM lead
sources. If you happen to land a big player, it can be the best thing that
could ever happen to your business.
It can be noted that MLM leads are the lifeblood of many network marketers.
Over the years, MLM leads have become a key component of building a downline.
As the demand for MLM leads has grown, the quality of MLM Leads has suffered.
Many lead capture pages are designed to get anyone to fill out the form. Some
list brokers have sold their MLM leads several times, causing the people who
filled out a form inquiring about a business opportunity to get bombarded with
phone solicitations.
Some of these people who are on MLM leads put down false information, register
with the Do Not Call Directory, and will say they never filled out a form. This
is done just so they will be left alone. But in reality, they still are
interested in a business opportunity. They just want it at their own time and
when they are ready for it.
There are many ways to grow your business. Working MLM genealogy leads is one
of the major methods for this. There are also many types of leads, as well as a
plethora of leads companies.
No lead list is perfect. There are drawbacks and benefits to each one. Put
yourself in charge of your leads. Know whom you are buying them from; see if
they are really MLM genealogy leads, the conversion rate, and if they are DNC
scrubbed. This will definitely minimize any future headaches.
Being smart about your genealogy leads. They are a good business move.
It's not about talent; it's all about MLM training material
There are many great MLM training materials that are available. There are also
a few that are not so great. You need these materials in order to build your
MLM business, and you need the proper trainings on how to use them properly.
There are some things that you need to consider before you spend any money on
MLM training tools. These are the five main things that you need to take a look
at for great MLM training tools.
1. Quality.
The quality of recording, sound, duplication, visuals, and content are all very
important MLM training materials. You need to make sure that the quality of the
programs is good. Make sure the content is not just the same content you hear
everywhere else as well.
2. Fresh approach.
A great MLM site should have training materials and tools with a fresh
approach. And also a fresh look. Make sure that the tools you choose have a
fresh feel. The MLM training materials should only be found in that tool you
are considering purchasing.
3. Title of the MLM tool and training material.
Does the title sound appealing? The title will help tell you if the content is
going to be appealing. Unique, catchy titles are what you want to look for, but
there are exceptions to that rule out there.
Contact the site you are considering purchasing from, and find out the best
titles according to their sales.
4. Shipping history.
Do you know someone that has used them before? Do they ship on time? How much
do they charge for shipping?
If it is more than $15.00 in total for your whole order, then you may be
charged too much. Check into it, and make sure that shipping is not a big
expense. See if they ship on time. International orders are an exception, as
shipping rates can be quite expensive, depending on the destination.
5. Return policy.
Make sure that if you receive defective MLM training materials, you can return
them with no questions asked. This is a must for all MLM training materials and
tools sites. This not only protects you, but also tells you that the company
stands behind what they sell.
Also, make sure that the MLM training materials have all aspects of MLM success
covered. Make sure the company has products on recruiting, leadership, training,
building an organization, personal development, and other pertinent subjects for
MLM success. The trainings should be available in different media, such as
books, DVDs, CDs, tapes, etc.
There are many sites over the Internet that is offering the best MLM training
materials out there. Numerous sites, to be a bit specific. But this is in not
saying that the other sites out there are not any good. Most are really good
sites.
But these Top 10 MLM Tools sites had some over and above traits that make up
for a good training experience for MLM Success.
What are the Top 10 resource sites for MLM training materials?
1) http://www.tapesandtools.com
2) http://www.dreambuilders.com
3) http://www.mlmleadership.com
4) http://www.networkingtimes.com
5) http://www.mlmbrilliance.com
6) http://www.networkmarketingtimes.com
7) http://www.miminc.com
8) http://www.greatestnetworker.com
9) http://www.nexera.com
10) http://www.mlmbooks.us
Again, there are other good sites out there as well, and you may want to search
on the search engines to find other MLM training materials.
But whenever you do look for MLM training materials, ask others what they have
used, the results they got from them, the education they obtained and if it was
useful to their business.
How do you choose the right MLM software for you?
With the many MLM software out there already, how do you choose the one that is
right for you?
Choose a reputable vendor.
There are many fly-by-night software companies that make many claims of
experience, know how and MLM software gadgetry. Unless you are willing to put
your business at risk, choose a vendor that has a proven track record.
Track records are built over many years of working with Direct Selling
companies, not just selling a software package a few times.
Check out at least six references. Remember that vendors will be eager to
provide only their best references. You might be surprised to find a different
story when you call companies not included in the reference list.
Visit the MLM software company's office.
You not only choose the MLM software but also choose the vendor's support
services. If the vendor is not able to provide support services acceptably,
what will you do when you need to change your compensation plan or add a new
input field to the order entry screen?
Remember that there is only one constant among all MLM companies; they
constantly change things. And your MLM software will need to be changed as well.
At the vendor's office, meet the vendor's people that will service you. See
what kind of people they are and how long they have worked for the vendor. Be
willing to pay for experience and competence. You are paying far less in the
long run.
Avoid small MLM software companies.
Small software companies, to compete with larger established firms, must offer
software at bargain prices. This often puts them on shaky financial ground
during their most critical years.
Companies that are trying to save money by purchasing an MLM software from
these small software houses find themselves virtually abandoned later on when
they need assistance. The problem is that servicing one highly successful
client can consume virtually all of the human resources of a small software
company leaving the other clients out in the cold.
The more deadly problem is that smaller companies tend to go out of business
without warning. If you value your business, stay away from the small vendors
and stick to those with staying power and track records.
Buy an MLM software package that allows you to create your own reports.
Many packages force you to live only with those reports they put on the menus.
Managers must resort to running large reports to answer small questions or
concerns instead of small exception reports on demand. Small exception reports
can be reviewed quickly and accurately.
Compare features.
MLM software is designed to handle specific business issues and often has a
great deal of difficulty dealing with matters outside the original design. It's
difficult to force a software to do things it was never intended to do.
Wise computer buyers compare features and capabilities, side by side, of one
package to another. Ask the vendor which features they consider are unique to
their package compared to others.
Remember that you are not just buying a computer; you are buying software,
expertise, emergency support services, programming services, and starting a
long-term relationship.
Choose your MLM software vendor wisely. Do not be tempted to penny pinch in the
computer area. If you do, you may cripple your chances for success.
The why and how to use MLM mailing lists
MLM mailing lists may be the cause of more heartbreaks than any other single
factor in mail order. A poorly chosen list, a weak mailing and the high cost of
mailing to a list can shadow the optimism of a new marketer very quickly.
That is why it is best to arm yourself with MLM mailing list knowledge before
embarking on that path.
Whether or not you should use an MLM mailing list to sell your product or
service depend on several things:
Is what you are offering too complex an offering to be explained in a 30-word
ad?
Can you afford to mail 200 to 1,000 pieces on the chance that you would not get
a single order?
Can you make a profit selling your product to only two to twenty people in a
1,000 piece mailing?
Will a re-order of your product be required? Can you make your re-orders pay
for the losses you will likely get from mailing to a list?
Do you know enough to choose the right MLM mailing list for your offering?
It takes either great faith in your offering or great stupidity to mail with a
list. Most MLM mailing lists that companies are offering today specialize in
opportunity seekers. These are the people who are generally quite new to mail
order. They are either looking for a product to sell or an offer that will get
them rich in a hurry.
Most of these opportunity seekers are engaged in chain letter type schemes at
some point. They use MLM mailing lists to make gains in their plans.
Most of them lose money, but enough people will try it once to make money.
These dreamers are the bread and butter for a lot of MLM mailing list companies.
Unless you have a truly superior offering for these opportunity seekers and you
probably do not have one, they are not really worth your time and money. Most of
them are unsophisticated dabblers.
MLM mailing lists, offered by many companies, are truly an interesting way to
test response to an MLM offer. Many MLM people like to write back about their
successes and failures. And they will always respond to a superior product.
Specialized product-buyers' lists can work beautifully if the offering is
unique enough and worth a try for merchandise marketing.
Regardless of what kind of mailing list you use, be very careful in choosing a
good list. Many are sold and resold to people making the very same offering. A
waste of everyone's money. Free MLM mailing lists are usually as good as their
price indicates. Check the guarantees.
Common sense will tell you which are good for you and which are good for the
company selling the MLM mailing lists. Check to see how the lists are compiled.
Are they people who have already bought something by mail, or are they merely
people who indicated they might want to buy something by mail?
It is recommended that you never start any campaign with a mailing list even
though advertising is so much cheaper. They are proven to work more effectively.
Keep this in mind. When you are ready to try MLM mailing list, be fully
prepared to lose every penny you spend in buying and mailing that list, because
it certainly could happen.
Wouldn't it be nice if you could custom tailor your MLM leads?
In order to succeed in MLM, you are going to need a steady supply of
fresh-targeted MLM leads that are anxious to get started in this business
opportunity. MLM lead vendors know this little fact too and they can see you
coming a mile away.
This can pose a problem for all but the super savvy network marketers and
people with extra-ordinary telephone skills.
Here are 5 of the most popular reasons you may want to consider generating your
own MLM marketing leads:
1. Quality. When you purchase MLM leads from a leads vendor, you are buying a
list of names and contact details that have been generated in a very generic
way to maximize the response rate of the lead generators advertising campaign.
These MLM leads are not necessarily generated from the most targeted means of
advertising.
These leads are not selling them on any specific type of business. When you are
using this type of lead you really don't know what type of business they may be
interested in. In the end, you are left to sorting and this can be a time
consuming procedure. Generating your own MLM leads with a website you have
control over changes all this.
2. Responsive. MLM leads that you have generated on your own are usually much
more responsive than leads that you would have purchased from a leads vendor.
Most probably they have not been contacted by several different network
marketers and their name has not been sold over and over again by some of the
leads vendors out there.
Leads that you generate are as fresh as you can get and they are exclusive to
you only
3. Real-Time Leads. One of the most popular reasons for a network marketer to
generate their own MLM leads is that you can receive them in real-time.
This is especially powerful for people who are in the higher ticket business
opportunities and they need the highest quality lead they can get. Nothing
beats having company specific real-time leads in your inbox waiting to be
contacted about your product or opportunity.
4. Custom Surveys. When you are the lead generator you have full control over
the questions you want to ask your prospects. You can simply qualify or
disqualify leads based on the questions they have answered on your lead capture
page.
It is a wise idea to always run a "Comments or Questions" or "Tell Me about
You" space on your lead capture page.
Not every single prospect will fill these fields out but when they do it will
be the most valuable piece of information you receive next to their name and
number. Anything a prospect is willing to share with you before the initial
contact is like an icebreaker.
5. Cost. Generating your own MLM leads can actually save you a lot of money if
you spend the time to setup some solid advertising campaigns.
Like many leads companies on the web you would not have the high cost of
employees either. Your cost to generate your own leads will be your advertising
costs and any other tools you may be using such as lead capture pages and auto
responders.
These are just a few reasons you may want to consider generating your own MLM
leads for your specific product or opportunity. It could make a difference in
how effectively you market your program.
How do you go about MLM lead generation?
This is a good question to ask before you spend any money on MLM lead
generation choices needed in building your MLM business.
Why would you want to go about MLM lead generation in the first place?
Over the years the MLM business has gotten a black eye because of the over
hyped promises of money and freedom. Very few people have ever achieved a high
level of success in any MLM business. And even fewer have ever been able to
maintain the level of achievements over a period of time.
That does not make MLM companies bad. Nor does it make the opportunities they
afford the average person as ways to make extra money or even as a way to
drastically change your lifestyle.
MLM lead generation is the way to do it.
There are 2 big benefits of MLM lead generation:
1. It gets you away from approaching your friends and relatives. If you have
been in more than one MLM business over the years you may have already
approached them and used up your credibility when you were unsuccessful.
2. MLM lead generation is a duplicable way to build your business that you can
pass on to your downline. Any successful network marketing business will tell
you that one of the main components of success is duplication. Anyone can buy
leads and work them over the phone or through the internet with the use of an
autoresponder.
Now that you understand some of the benefits of buying MLM lead generation and
how to market them, let us now take a look at the characteristics of the best
MLM lead generation result.
1. How many times are the leads sold? Many MLM lead companies sell their leads
over and over. You will be contacting a prospect that has already been marketed
to. Typically, you would want to have leads that are exclusively yours.
2. How old are the leads? Would you rather contact a prospect that has
expressed an interest in the past 48 hours or in the past 48 days? Being able
to strike while the iron is hot, so to speak, is a great benefit of a fresh MLM
leads.
3. How many leads do you get for your money? Obviously the more MLM leads you
have generated, the more leads you can buy at a time. This is especially
important when you are first starting or when you are helping your downline get
started.
4. What is the quality of the lead? Nothing compares to an effective MLM lead
generation that contains both a phone number and email address along with a few
qualifying answers to questions like "How much can you invest to get started" or
"How soon do you want to get started" or When is the best time to contact you?".
If a prospect is answering these types of questions, you are getting a much
better quality lead than if you just have a name and email address.
5. What is the response rate? This will improve as your skill level at working
your MLM lead generation improves. But the fresher higher quality leads will
give you a better response rate even when your skill level is low.
These are some of the best MLM lead generation qualities. Be careful when
choosing a place to get your leads.
Read this if you are looking for an MLM company
The growth of the Internet and people looking to earn some extra money from
home, paved the way for MLM companies to double over the last decade. With this
growth in interest in network marketing, many new companies have sprung up to
join the ranks of the time-tested, older MLM companies.
If you are thinking of starting a side career in MLM, or just want to see how
your current company measures up, take note of the critical things to look for
when choosing an MLM company.
The first thing to look for is stability. It would be best if an MLM company
has been in business for 2 to 5 years. There is really something about
companies that have already "stood the test of time".
The longer the MLM company has been around, the more chance of it staying
around. There are enough things to worry about in network marketing, such as
sponsoring and advertising, without having to wonder if your company will be
around next year.
Even if you were able to build the biggest downline and become the highest
earner in the MLM company, it would not matter if they suddenly shut down.
There are never any guarantees, but a company with a longer track record
generally has more chances of longevity.
The second thing to look for is the one in charge of the company. Who is the
president, and who are the directors? What is their track record? Have they
spent time in the network marketing industry, or are they new to it all? What
businesses have they been involved with in the past?
If you do not know the answer to these questions, call or email the company to
find out. It is critical to know the answers to these questions from the
outset. If you plan to spend many years with the MLM company, you would want to
be dealing with people who are honest, savvy, and have integrity in and outside
of the business world.
Third, is the product being marketed. Generally speaking, the more products the
better. The fewer products you have, the more chance your prospects or potential
customers might not be interested.
There was one MLM telecommunications company that recently went bankrupt. They
basically only had a few products in the industry. Perhaps if they had added
some nutritional products, they could have survived.
In addition to this, the products should be competitively priced, and somewhat
unique. Fourth, know if it is easy to start in that MLM company. Can people
join online, or do they have to fill out paper forms?
Having the option to join online makes the whole process a lot easier. On the
same note, having the option to join free will open up your opportunity to many
more people.
Your MLM company should let people join free and allow them to market the
products to earn income. Once someone has joined free, they have partially
committed to the business. This makes it easier for you and your company to
follow up with them, via mail or email.
Lastly, the more automated the MLM company is, the better. They should give you
a personal company website that you can refer prospects to. A prospect should be
able to contact you from that page.
And the MLM company should have a series of emails that follow up with your
prospects.
Unsuccessful in your MLM business?
The MLM business can easily double or triple your cash. Provided that you do
not fall first in either one of the common mistakes done by error-prone MLM
business producers and distributors.
1. Avoid MLM business groups that offer commission-based compensation among
distributors. There is a big possibility that it is an illegal pyramid.
The act of alluring people or business finders to enter an MLM business group
has been an ordinary day-to-day street transaction among business-minded
people. There are those people who will explain first the benefits that you can
get from their group.
But the reality is that they will just reverse what they had said. Believe me,
it may not always be the case but beware still. The only assurance you got here
is your having a job. But your assurance of getting paid evenly or squarely is
diminishing. You can be paid still, but until when?
2. Avoid MLM business groups that oblige the new distributors to buy expensive
products or any materials that the group offers. This might be another sign of
potential danger.
It always pays to be nice. But some nice people are sometimes not at all nice.
It is not always the case.
The truth behind is that there are pyramid groups that force their newly
entered distributors to purchase the expensive products or materials. Fake
pyramid groups always have at the back of their minds the amount they could
get. Sometimes it turns to be something from nothing.
Take this friendly advice; find ways to quit that group.
3. Do not heed what the pyramid promoter is promising that you can have more
money through continued help in recruiting more distributors.
This is another clear sign of your being a victim of illegal MLM business. The
bottom line here is work with just compensation. They might just be using you
for their personal interest.
4. Some distributors do not give enough time or attention to their MLM business.
This is important. Some people are joining the group half-heartedly. But take
note, it will count days or months to build an elevating career in MLM.
5. Some MLM operators take the business reluctantly as if its status will not
able to decline in time.
Each member of the MLM business group must work hand-in-hand to sustain the set
objectives of the group. This practice is not just recommended. It is a must to
follow. But doing the otherwise will lead the path towards business failure.
6. Not realizing why you are operating the MLM business.
You may realize suddenly that you do not have a definite target or objective in
your business. It might be a reality that some are born as invalid plan setter.
Early from the birth of your MLM business, you should have already realized the
reasons why you are driving the business. Recovery from money problems of the
business is not like counting 1, 2 and 3. Setting your business objectives is
the keyword.
7. Have a well-established commitment to work and duty.
There is no better time to start moving than now. Product distributors must
attend to their respective assignments. One cannot make the MLM business grows
by just merely looking at it.
Be committed to you work. Have time to pinpoint your MLM business weaknesses so
you can catch-up for any committed mistakes.
Watch out for MLM business opportunities
Any MLM business opportunity worth considering will either have a track record
that you can investigate and evaluate or it will have a clear statement of the
plan, the potential, and the up-front costs.
Before investing any time or money in a specific MLM business opportunity,
there are some questions you should consider first.
How long has the business opportunity been in business? Before investing time
and money in marketing an MLM business opportunity, it is important to
determine how long it has been operating.
If it is a new concept that has not been proven in the marketplace, you have no
assurance that it will even work.
Does the company have a fixed address and phone number? This may seem obvious
to you, but the fact is, thousands of companies operate with nothing more than
a website and an email address.
Many of them are here today and gone tomorrow. Make sure the business you
intend to deal with has a fixed address, physical location, and established
phone number.
Does the MLM business opportunity have some successful members you can talk to?
Most business opportunities will show you testimonials. But these are often
untrustworthy.
They could even be completely fabricated. Ask the owner of the business for
names of real people you can talk to. Call them on the telephone and ask them
to share their experiences with the program.
This will not only provide you with valuable first-hand information about the
program, but it will give you a list of advisors who might be willing to help
you along the way.
How much initial investment is required? In many cases a proven MLM business
opportunity with a successful track record will involve some kind of initial
investment.
You should not assume that a business opportunity that is free to join is a
better investment. Usually a free-to-join business will involve other costs
such as marketing and advertising fees. Just keep in mind that nobody gives
away "opportunities" for free.
What you have to determine is whether a specific MLM business opportunity has a
successful track record, is managed by honest people and offers you a realistic
chance of actually making some money.These are the things you must weigh
against the entry costs.
What is the realistic income potential of the business? Have a careful look at
the numbers and projections provided by the business opportunity. Then talk
with actual members who are using the program to determine if they have been
able to turn those numbers into reality.
Are there extra fees such as yearly or monthly subscription fees, shipping
costs, or minimum purchase requirements? Make sure to get a detailed list of
all the fees involved in operating the new business. These things may not seem
significant now, but they can easily eat into your profits later.
How much control of your new business will you have? Be clear on who owns the
business, and who controls the way it is developed and marketed. You may want
to diversify your product offerings in order to avoid being at the mercy of a
"head office.
The MLM business opportunity should require low initial investment and have
high profit potential both in the short term and in the long term. It should
allow you to build a profitable business of your own that will be a source of
income far into the future.
Come and take the home-based MLM business opportunity ride
Is it possible to enter into a home-based MLM business opportunity over the
Internet? Why not? The "yes" will answer you right in front of your face.
Everything is possible with the participation of Internet especially in the
modern business transactions.
But is home-based MLM business opportunity feasible and profitable? How can one
succeed in this kind of business?
Are you ready to take a ride into the four-step procedures toward a successful
home-based MLM business?
Here they are:
Step number 1. Recruit First
Why do you have to recruit first instead of doing other things?
Home-based MLM business opportunities are network marketing. It is composed of
uplines and downlines.
Uplines are independent representatives who recruit another independent
representative which they will use in the direct selling of goods and services
to customers. Put simply, the recruiter is the upline. They get their
commission on the sales of the other independent representatives.
On the other hand, the recruited independent representatives are the downlines.
Home-based MLM business opportunity is a commission-based joint effort of
uplines and downlines.
That is the main reason why both uplines and downlines must work together.
Without the other, the whole business force will be paralyzed. It will not
function.
What does this mean? Both parties share the same level of importance or
significance to the group. Try to imagine a home-based MLM business opportunity
without uplines and downlines? It does not seem right, isn't it? You're going to
have these four (4) "NO":
If you do not have recruited independent representatives or if they are not
working effectively, there will be no income, no consumption of products and
services, no one to market the products and services and no one will cater the
customers.
Step number 2. Maintain the minimum sales required.
Home-based MLM business opportunities are so simple yet requires careful
analysis of the sales income. You have to be a mathematician on this part to be
able to tally your expenses and revenues.
Everyday, independent representatives market the products and services. So make
it a habit to tally the income entering everyday and the expenses leaving every
hour.
Step number 3. Monitor the consumption of products and services.
Check your inventory. There is no further explanation needed as it is stated
clearly enough. This simply means maintaining the minimum stock of products
available to avoid having an empty or void stock.
Step number 4. Train your downlines regularly.
In every field, learning is always a requirement. Even if you are a teacher,
you still need to study and learn.
The thing here is to have a constant training schedule for the downlines. Study
shows that a well-instructed downline creates a big difference than the downline
with stagnant information in mind.
Constant study really pays at the end. Some of the recommended topics are
proper customer treatment, how to communicate effectively, business ethics, and
everything that is needed to help them as well as your home-based MLM business.
If you have already taken into account all the procedures needed to have a
successful home-based MLM business opportunity, you are now ready towards
establishing that career path.
The formulas are already in your hands. All that is needed now is to get it
into effect. The only thing missing to complete the home-based MLM business
opportunity is you.
Is the MLM business opportunity better off worked at home or what?
MLM is a legitimate and potentially lucrative way to work from home for your
own MLM business opportunity.
By directly selling products while creating your own upline downline, you can
work your MLM business opportunity part-time, from home, and at in your own
hours. Even with all the potential for making money, you should decide, though
if an MLM is for you.
Many people are blinded by all the benefits of an MLM when determining if this
type of business is right for them. You do not need to have a college degree or
any experience to get into the industry.
The products are already manufactured and are usually shipped by the company
directly to your customers. Plus, you choose your hours and your work location.
In fact, many MLM business opportunities are taken by people who work from the
comfort of their own home.
Other benefits of an MLM business opportunity that is worked from home is that
you have leverage; you continue earning commissions on a single effort. You do
not need to come up with your own business or marketing plan, because the
company does it for you. Also, recruiting and training systems are provided for
you by the company.
Despite the numerous benefits, MLM businesses do come with some downfalls.
For instance, you usually start of marketing to family and friends. This is
especially so if you are just starting your work from home MLM business. This
can create some friction and alienation, especially among people who are more
acquaintances than close friends and family.
The work is selling, so you need to have a pretty strong backbone, as many
people will tell you, "no" instead of the much-coveted "yes". Therefore, it
takes a lot of effort and motivation.
In order to make the most potential income, you need to continuously recruit
new representatives. Plus, if you are working from home, your MLM business
opportunity require that you purchase a certain amount of product each month or
quarter, adding in a financial commitment.
Working at home works for some people. But other people find that it takes a
great deal of discipline and motivation to get the job done without being
easily distracted. Before you decide to take up the MLM business opportunity
and work at home, make sure that you get all the information that you need to
make an informed decision.
So weighing out the good and bad, is MLM for you?
Well, if you are a self-starter with a lot of energy and motivation then it is
a good start. If you have leadership skills and can set goals and meet them,
then MLM might be for you, too.
MLM people have great people skills and are self-starters. They have strong
powers of persuasion and can influence people easily.They also have an ability
to guide and encourage others to work the program.
An MLM business opportunity is an ideal trade to run on the Internet and work
from your home. If you have the personality to run this type of business, then
it could be the perfect opportunity for you.
Just make sure you watch out for MLM scams and do your research before joining.
Then take advantage of the MLM opportunities that await you. Try working at home
and see how well it suits you.
Why you should choose working at home business opportunities offered by MLM?
Why you should choose working at home business opportunities offered by MLM?
MLM is a powerful business concept for many reasons but the most obvious is for
the type of income it can provide the network marketer. It is so powerful that
many fortune 500 companies have used, some are still using, this business model
to build their multi-million dollar empire.
So why cannot the average person do the same?
The answer is average people are already working some great MLM home-based
businesses opportunities. Are you one of them? If not, now is an excellent time
to get started.
Millionaires have taken notice of MLM as a home-based business opportunity that
average people can work into and build wealth.
MLM is a huge, thriving industry in spite of all the negative publicity it
receives in the media from anti-MLM enthusiasts. Many millionaires express how
MLM is a wonderful opportunity for anyone interested in building a home-based
business without having to work from scratch.
Can you use some extra income?
Most consumers would probably answer yes to this question. Everybody can use
extra income every month. But where is this extra income going to come from?
One obvious solution would be is to get a second job. This option may seem to
be the best solution but is really not. This is because the time you spend on
your second job and the money you receive after taxes is not enough.
Of course you will have to consider your reasons for getting a second job and
why you need the extra income to determine if getting a second job is really
the right solution for you.
However, on the other hand, you can start working on your own part-time
home-based business using MLM as your business opportunity. You can get started
in the industry for nearly nothing. This is a big plus. How can you start
working in an MLM home business opportunity you have heard so much about?
Getting started in network marketing has become so easy that anyone can get
started even if you do not have a dime to invest in your start up. The key here
is to simply get started then never quit.
Many legitimate MLM home business opportunities will allow you to get started
for under $100. You can even find free opportunities with little or no overhead
expenses and with great support from other members as well as the parent company.
These companies will provide all the tools and system for you. You simply add
your sweat equity, your working commitment, and persistence to the MLM home
business opportunity.
Remember to choose a well-established company that offers quality consumable
products or services with an excellent management team and support to their
distributors.
Another important key factor is your commitment to the company and its products
and services. Working for a home business MLM opportunity means that you should
be a bona-fide user and marketer of the products and services you want to earn
extra income from.
In conclusion, MLM is a smart business opportunity sense for anyone wishing to
start working at home. It cost next to nothing to get started, you get a proven
system like you would if you bought a franchise opportunity, and you can be in
profit in months rather than in years.
Therefore, if you desire more income while still working a 9 to 5 job, or to
build your retirement income, then you should seriously consider working for a
home business MLM opportunity.

Do not want to start your own MLM business? Your loss:
Ask yourself. Why would you want to start your own MLM business? Maybe you want
to be like those people who have already been in this filed and is earning the
amount of money you can only dream about.
If you put in enough effort, you can make a substantial amount of money every
single month once your MLM has started and is already on its feet.
Just think, you can even start an MLM from home. Most people go to work each
day, working in an office, store, or factory. For most of these people the
options are limited when it comes to being able to work at home.
There are some people, however, who have the luxury of being able to stay home
while they earn their living. Some jobs can be accomplished at home in the same
amount of time as anywhere else and with the same amount of quality.
No two people are the same. There are others who are better off starting their
MLM business at home. There are also those who do not feel the advantage of
doing so. Whatever their choices may be, everything will still depend on the
person making the decision.
When considering whether to start an MLM business, always begin with a good
look at yourself. Decide what suits your needs best. See where you will be more
productive.
You must determine your needs and motivations to see if starting an MLM
business is right for you. What are your goals? What amount of income do you
need for the business to provide? Do you want to work full or part-time? Do you
need additional training to start the business? What will my start-up costs be?
A world of questions must be answered before venturing out into the world of
direct marketing.
If you choose to start an MLM business of your own, you will find yourself in
good company.
Today, multilevel marketing is big business. There are large multinational
corporations doing business as MLM. Chances are you are considering being a
distributor of such a company. They offer good products along will training and
support programs to help you get your business on its feet.
The financial requirement to start an MLM business is usually fairly low. Under
the dollar amount is $200 or less. Beware of programs that require you to
purchase huge amounts of inventory.
Most of these large MLM companies do not have such demands. In most case, you
are paid a commission on the sales you generate and simply follow the sale
through to delivery and money is collected.
They may also pay you commission on sales you generate "downline." That is by
people that you have recruited to join the program. The more downline you
recruit, the more commission you will get.
Start an MLM business on solid ground by approaching the best chances for sales
first. Your family, friends, and associates can be your best customers and the
ones most likely to buy.
Since most MLM products are those used around the house such as soap and
cleaners, everyone is in the market. After you have gotten your pitch down,
explore other markets for sales such as churches, schools, and other large
collections of people familiar with you.
So, do not want to start your own MLM business? You are missing out half of
your life:
One quality you cannot do without in MLM personal finance success
Consider this. Having the right skills will get you far in this business. But
with the wrong attitude, how long do you think your personal finance in MLM
will stay that way? As with all aspects in life, there are things needed in
life beside know-how's.
So it is not really surprising that in the world of MLM, attitude is the
strongest determinant of your personal finance success.
Business structure, compensation plan, product and training systems are all
important. But without the right attitude, they are just tools lying unused in
a tool box -- they don't end up building any real-time personal finance in MLM.
It makes sense for those who are just new to building personal finance in MLM
to focus on this all-important aspect. That is, if they want to be successful.
The only question left is what kind of attitude you should focus on.
Be coachable.
There's no quicker way to fail in the world of MLM personal finance than to
walk into a business assuming you already know what is going to work and what
would not.
It is true that different people have different strengths. And different
methods work better for some than for others. But it is important to remember
that if great profits have been made in MLM personal finance, it can be done
again.
Get alongside as many of your successful upline as you can. Ask them how you
can make your business work, listen to what they say, and then follow through
on their suggestions.
If something does not seem to be working, get alongside them again. Ask them
what you could be doing differently, rather than assuming the concept itself is
flawed.
Understand your purpose.
While there may well be people who get into MLM because they genuinely enjoy
the challenges of the sales process, most sign up in this business because it
had potential to help then achieve something big in their personal finance and
in their lives.
Whether these people saw the potential to provide for their families, to create
a financially secure future for themselves, or just to finally be debt-free,
there is something in the original opportunity that inspired them to get
involved. Their own purpose.
A big part of motivating people to do the work that needs to be done in MLM is
keeping that purpose at the forefront of their minds. If a person wants to get
there, he or she got to do what it takes.
Stay positive.
Achieving MLM personal finance success is related to developing the ability to
stay positive.
Like anything else, there will be ups and downs along the process. Staying
positive through the downs would not just make you more successful in the long
run; it will make life far more enjoyable while you are getting there.
There you have it. The three keys to developing an attitude that will lead you
to your MLM personal success.
The great thing about attitude determining your success? It is the one thing
you have complete control over. You may not be able to do anything to change
your company's business structure, compensation plan, product or training
systems, but you can always change your attitude.
Make a commitment to yourself. Learn what you need to learn to change what you
need to change. Your MLM personal finance success will depend on it.
The view inside opt in MLM leads
The factors behind opt in MLM leads is to be inside, where the good stuff is
located.
The situation would be like this; you outside of the opt in MLM leads industry,
wanting to get in. to get the inside scoop of the leads business. If you knew
what actually went on in some arenas, you may think the inside scoop looks like
this picture.
How are opt in MLM leads generated?
For the most part, opt in MLM leads are generated over the Internet. While
there is no definite study to prove this matter, it is safe to assume that
85-90% of all leads you find for sale are originated on the Internet.
There are two main reasons for this. First, the Internet is where most people
are doing their research today when looking for jobs, looking for ways to make
extra money, something to invest on, etc. So, why not go where the people are
looking?
Second, it is the most cost effective way of generating opt in MLM leads.
Surely, a person is surfing the Internet, doing a Google search, and checking
out their options for ways to make extra income. Or, sometimes the person is
not even thinking about wanting more money when an online ad catches their
attention and they check it out. So, they fill out a form and hit submit.
That is the basics behind online opt in MLM lead generation. Some person is out
there surfing the Net. There is an online ad and a form. Filled out and submit.
Then they are now a prospect waiting to be sold.
Quite a nice system. Wouldn't we all like to receive a batch of opt in MLM
leads after people had been surfing the Internet for ways of making money from
home. Now you have their name, phone, and E-mail address in your hands.
But there are some variables that can make a big difference in the type of opt
in MLM leads you are holding in your hands.
Incentivized opt in MLM leads.
One of the biggest problems that exists among the Internet lead generation
business is the incentives that entices a person to fill out a form and submit.
If you have purchased opt in MLM leads long enough, then you have probably come
across the person who did not know they were going to be contacted about a home
business. Instead they thought they were going to get a new Video iPod,
$10,000, or a vacation cruise.
So, what do you do? You go to an opt in MLM leads company and you buy a batch
of leads. The leads are $2.25 each, so you buy 50 of them for $112.50. There is
a chance you may find a good prospect in there, one that will be targeted to the
product or service that you are offering.
No opt in MLM lead is ever pure because you do not know what other sites the
prospect has been to, filling out forms, and checking out other businesses.
However, if you are going to invest in opt in MLM leads, it is worth a few
extra minutes of research or an email or phone call to the owners; to know what
kind of leads you are purchasing.
Opt in MLM leads are all about results. So go ask and test first.
Handling the stress of online MLM business
Are you looking online for a possible MLM business avenue of creating income
and relieving you of your present burdens?
You are not alone. Many individuals see the potential for building their own
business from wherever they are on this globe by means of the Internet. The
online MLM business provides a level playing field and appeals to men and women
of all ages as a prospective means of conducting business from the comfort of
home.
However, despite the fact that running a business through the Internet can
often be less expensive than a traditional business and allows you access to a
worldwide market at any time of the day, the truth behind starting an MLM
business online is that it can be as stressful as any other business. How can
you prepare yourself for this obstacle?
Always wear your "game face".
It is a tough game to start an online MLM business. You are guaranteed to
experience times when your self-confidence is shaken, you feel the task is
beyond your abilities and you beat yourself up for making mistakes.
Move on. It is part of creating business and you will have to face these issues
whether it is your first attempt or even if you have been in the MLM business
online for years. Changes happen fast on the Internet and that includes changes
to businesses. One day you will be amazing yourself and the next day you will
think you've been beat.
The best solution to this is to expect it and plan to move on despite those
feelings. Forget the hype.
Nearly every business can benefit from online MLM business exposure.
Are you inspired by the many programs that claim "instant wealth -- easy to
learn!"? Do not believe it. Regardless of if you have been in business for a
long time or this is your first attempt, online MLM business done through the
Internet has it's own methods and you better be ready to learn them if you want
to make money.
The learning curve can be steep and some individuals find it daunting. The good
thing to remember is that it is possible for nearly anyone to operate an MLM
business online no matter what their previous experience. Just be prepared to
learn and have patience with your attempts.
Do not use all your money.
It is easy to forget the need for a budget when you can spend money so easily
online. Do not buy into every MLM business opportunity online or training
program. Visit online forums to acquire a feel for the best systems available.
Make friends on these forums that will support you when you are overwhelmed or
needing advice.
The only thing worse than finding out you made a mistake is finding out that it
cost you money. Remember that every experience is a learning experience. Try to
stick to a budget but do not permit yourself to dwell on mistakes when they
happen. Learn and move on.
Taking the necessary steps to prepare you for the stress and rejection that all
new MLM business owners' online face will enable you to build on that knowledge
and create a successful business.
Fortunately, there are many who do not make it that far in the online MLM
business. So that leaves the wide open for you.
Simplicity and duplicity in networking MLM
Ask some of the more successful MLM marketers and they will tell you that the
key factor in networking MLM is simplicity.
Networking MLM is a very simple business. But keeping it simple does not mean
that hard work is not involved. One of the common mistakes is that people try
to make it complicated.
Even if a complex system achieved great results for you, others will find it
difficult to copy. In networking MLM, personal success is not your greatest
asset.
Your greatest asset is having a system that guarantees the success of everyone
using it. The success of others, and your success, is dependant upon their
ability to do the same things you do. Keep the least experienced of those in
your network in mind when you set up a system of doing things for your
organization to follow.
Everything you do must be simple enough so that everyone can quickly duplicate
your efforts and achieve the same phenomenal results as you.
In MLM networking, you should not do things that require special skills,
resources which are available only to you or to a limited number of people.
Open up your business to a much larger pool of people who can become
successful. You need to build your network as quickly as possible. You can only
meet with a few people each day and can personally close even fewer sales.
But using an MLM networking strategy, you can help others quickly learn to do
the same simple things as you. When they do, they multiply your efforts.
Go for the same phenomenal results. This is quality duplication. Each person in
your MLM networking, from top to bottom, must be able to exactly duplicate what
you are doing and be able to teach others to do exactly the same thing. How
large a sales team you can build depends on how well it is duplicated.
To ensure duplication, you need a system or processes that anybody and
everybody can follow and teach. You cannot duplicate a person but you can
duplicate a system.
In building a successful and long-term network, the MLM networking system must
rule. Remember a system is only as good as it is duplicated.
The more complex a system, the less likely quality duplication will be
achieved. To make sure you duplicate well, follow the System you are provided
with religiously. There is no perfect system and your time is better spent
perfecting your ability to duplicate it rather than perfecting a system.
Take this example. Ray Krocs, the founder of MacDonald's cannot be duplicated
but the MacDonald's franchise system can be and is, to almost 100% perfection
in 18,000 outlets worldwide.
Keeping it simple. To ensure you do things that your distributor can learn from
and duplicate.
Is what I am doing easily duplicable? Is it simple enough to be duplicated?
Keep asking yourself this same questions and if you answer "yes" at least 75 %
of the time, you are on the right track.
The most successful people in MLM networking business understand that
everything must be kept simple in order to grow your business. Show others how
simple it is to do what you do. They need to see you do it, and then believe it
is simple enough for them to quickly duplicate to achieve the same good results
in your MLM networking.
No two people are alike in the MLM business
But there are some shared personality traits that are common to those who have
started and operated in MLM already.
One of the most common personalities inherent among MLM business people is
their entrepreneurial spirit.
What are some of these traits that make up an MLM entrepreneur?
Self-starter.
Self-starters are the type of people who do not just sit around thinking about
something over and over again. Yet no action is taken to get things done. They
decide on what needs to be done and simply do it.
Take this example. You are in need of your own MLM website but income limits
you from just hiring a web design company to make that site. As a self-starter,
you would go to work about gathering all the information pertinent to web design
and development.
Then you would develop and design your site. In the end you would have a
website that you have developed yourself.
One vital trait of a self-starter it to know their strengths and weaknesses and
be able to accept them. Self-motivated.
The self-motivated MLM individual has a lot of motivation and drive. Because
each person is a unique being, one person's motivations may be different from
everyone else's.
For example, your motivation for starting your MLM business could be to earn
$500 or $1,000 per month or $10,000 or $20,000 per month. Or it could be that
you want to home school your kids, and that requires earning an income working
from home.
Your level of motivation to a large measure will be dependent up on your
purpose and level of commitment. It depends on how big your dream is.
Creative.
The creative individual has a lot of great ideas. They are usually able to come
up with good ideas and problem solving solutions. Many of their ideas are often
the results of listening and observing other business that is related to MLM.
They focus on finding solutions, rather than dwelling on the challenges.
For example, if you have a limited advertising budget, you would get to work
finding all the available free advertising avenues instead to thinking over and
over how limited your budget is.
Your creativity would result in expanding your MLM advertising program. You
would also have the knowledge from research. Thus, resolving the problem and
creating an additional income.
Self-disciplined.
The self-disciplined individual is one who does not need someone standing over.
Or having someone tells them what, how and when to do. They do not need anyone
telling to get something done. They are able to determine what needs to be
done, then set aside time to do it.
An MLM business may fail, many do first time around. But the self-disciplined
individual does not accept that they are a failure. They simply learn from the
mistakes and use them as a tool to attain success.
As an entrepreneur in MLM you should be able to adapt. You will find yourself
playing different roles such as: marketer, promoter, public relations,
motivator, sponsor, Webmaster...and so forth. You are not afraid of chance and
are opened and flexible to them.
Successful businesses are not built over night but over time. As a MLM
entrepreneur you are willing to go the extra mile, put forth the time and
effort needed to build a successful business organization.
MLM training? Get a coach!
Many people are still saddled with antiquated MLM training and ideas of how the
old multilevel companies were run in the 60's and 70's. Remember that we are
already in the new millennium, people.
And the trainings in MLM that we have today had already grown pass those times.
Some of the more successful marketers have the fortune to have undergone the
proper MLM training to make them more profitable than others. What is the one
secret they have learned in MLM training?
The secret is choosing a team with an experienced coach who will teach, guide
and motivate you towards success.
Of course there are other factors to consider such as the financial backing of
the company, timing, the compensation plan and marketing a consumable product.
But if you are not properly trained and motivated during those early months you
are almost doomed to failure.
But think about it. Every professional businessperson or athlete has a coach to
aid in the training. Why should it be different in MLM marketing?
In MLM marketing, you can start your business for less than $500 and literally
choose the coach or leader who will be training you. Of course this will
involve doing a little background check on the team leader you choose to work
with. But in the end, it will be a time worth spending.
Here are a few pointers that will help you when seeking out the "correct coach"
who will assist you in your MLM training.
1. Make sure that he or she has a proven track record.
A gifted leader will also prove his or her worth in the results produced.
Generally speaking, you will not rise higher than your leader, so know how high
you want to reach and find a coach who can get you there.
2. Go with someone who has been training in MLM for many years.
You want a leader who will be like the northern star; bright and steady. Those
who are successful network marketers are people who stay for the long haul.
Many people give up too quickly and never reap the harvest.
Choose a leader who has experienced some bumps in MLM and can now be selective
in choosing a company that is most likely to remain out of the MLM graveyard.
3. Find someone who knows how to market.
Network marketing is just that: marketing through networking. An essential part
of the equation therefore is the effective marketing of your business.
Marketing can eat up a small budget very quickly. Therefore, you must learn
from the MLM training works from what does not work so that you can use your
advertising dollars most effectively.
The name of the game is maximum returns for your money. Leverage is the whole
idea behind network marketing. This translates into small effort and great gain.
Find someone who can train you on how to use MLM tools such as
teleconferencing, voicemail, direct mail, the Internet and broadcast media.
This is a business so you have to treat it like one.
4. Find someone who continuously studies the industry.
Anyone who claims to be a professional will subscribe to magazines in his area
of expertise, attend seminars to keep abreast of what's happening and keep his
MLM training pulse on the industry.
Choose wisely. The right opportunity and company may be the vehicle to your
success but an effective MLM training coach is like gas in your tank.
MLM E-Mail Newsletter Campaigns -- Do's And Don'ts
MLM (aka Multi Level Marketing) is a very interesting world, competitive,
innovative and tricky. It's not for the faint of heart, nor for those who don't
have the time or ambition to constantly keep in touch with their prospects. An
MLM marketer need to be on their toes, be creative and not only willing to find
their prospects just about anywhere, but willing to keep in touch with them on a
regular basis. The only way to stay in business is to service your customers.
So, what do you do? There are a number of ways to successfully handle e-mail
newsletters campaigns. And conversely, there are a number of things to NOT do.
The first thing you MUST NOT do is use names of people who have not
specifically asked to receive what you are mailing out. These are called
"opt-ins". If you do tread on thin ice and try this, don't be surprised if your
mail outs get classified as spam and treated as such.
If you want people to respond/subscribe to your newsletters, and be able to
target your marketing efforts, then you have to make it really clear how they
do that, and where they can do that. A link to your form or an online form must
be on your home page. Having said that, the other pointer is, don't ask too many
questions. Keep it simple and just stick to the basics -- ask their name, and
perhaps two questions -- ie. Demographics and interests.
To be really safe with your registration process, use something called double
opt-in, rather than just the single opt-in. This allows sober second thought by
the potential subscriber, because the double opt-in for e mail newsletters
requires confirmation. It makes more sense for you as well, since by confirming
they DO want to subscribe to your e mail newsletter, you KNOW they're serious,
and not just kicking the tires.
MLM E-Mail Marketing
One of the more important aspects of network marketing (aka MLM) is the lowly
e-mail -- the thing people love to hate simply because these days it's often
viewed as spam before it's even opened. Not sure you should try this this kind
of marketing because people may delete your e-mail? They might anyhow, no
matter what you do, but that doesn't mean you don't do this type of marketing.
Targeted e-mail is one of the most powerful marketing tools available if done
correctly. A superbly crafted e-mail strategy with thinking smarts behind it is
a feather in your cap, and, the foundation for relationship marketing.
The best part about e-mail marketing is the outstanding results you can get
without investing too much time and an even smaller amount of money. E-mail
marketing is inexpensive and what better way to market on a shoe-string budget?
There's no production, materials or postage costs, and, it's 20 times more cost
effective than direct mail.
The major selling point about e-mail marketing is you are proactively taking
action and talking to your existing team members and prospects. You're not
sitting there waiting for them to come to you or back to your web site. It's
also IMMEDIATE communication. Your call to action is clear: "Click here to take
advantage of this offer", or "to learn more about this service" click here and
we'll get back to you immediately. Generally speaking responses to this type of
e-mail occur within 48 hours of being sent. But don't be discouraged if you
don't get a response. Just keep on trucking and sending your targeted messages.
Here's one kind of e-mail that guarantees you have a captive audience -- or
rather one that asked to receive the information you are sending to them. It's
called Opt-In E-mail. They've in some manner agreed they want to hear from you,
which is a major bonus for your marketing strategy. Can you buy an service that
provides you with opt-in e-mail leads? Yes you can, but why would you want to
when you can write your own opt-in message? All you have to do is send an e
mail that briefly outlines what you have to offer, and then ask in the e-mail
if the person would like more information. If they respond to you, then you can
carry on giving them more details about what you're offering.
MLM E-Mail Newsletters Must Have Information
In multi level marketing (MLM) you need to know what you're doing, where you're
gong, what to expect, how to handle and how to find and enroll prospects. Sound
like a tall order? It's not if you have and use the right tools, the right
training and make an effort to do something with your business daily.
What are the right tools? Instant messengers -- doesn't matter which brand you
use -- just so long as they are a major part of your marketing strategy. E-mail
is crucial. A finely crafted e-mail works wonders with person-to-person
prospecting. Don't rule out phone marketing. One short call to quickly tell a
prospect about something new and to invite them to a presentation or to try the
new product speaks volumes about your commitment and leadership qualities. E
mail newsletters are another very good tool for marketing regularly to
prospective customers, existing customers or team members.
Your well written e mail newsletter will include not only excellent and fresh
content, but the necessary basics like your phone number, and postal mailing
address. You must be accessible to your customers, and besides, there is
federal legislation that says you have to have a physical address on commercial
e-mail.
Earlier in this article we learned that to market effectively you need regular
communication with your mailing list, prospects, customers, past customers and
team members. That only makes good business sense. If you don't write them
regularly, they're going to forget you. Stick to a regular schedule as well,
your subscribers will anticipate your messages.
If you do receive an inquiry about your newsletter content, or a spam
complaint, responding to it by promptly removing the person who complained is
the only thing you can professionally and ethically do. One good tip though,
when you respond to spam complaints, simply send a short note indicating you
have removed them from your list, and just include a short sentence that shows
when they subscribed and your response. Many's been the recovered customer from
a simple note like this:
You may have forgotten you subscribed to my newsletter on xxxx date from xxxx
address. We're just letting you know, you have been unsubscribed promptly. If
you unsubscribed in error, please feel free to join us again.
MLM E-Mail Newsletters and What You Need for Content
So you want to do a multi-level marketing (MLM) e mail newsletter campaign and
aren't sure where to start. Like just about anything else in the world of MLM
you have to make your point in a clear manner. Get to the point without
wandering all over the place and confusing your potential prospects or existing
customers. It's like your Mom told you when you were growing up -- Spit it out.
No one likes e mails or e mail newsletters that have content in them that's not
relevant to them. The fastest way to lose a customer or prospect is to send them
something they can't actually put to good use or learn something from.
If you're sending an e mail newsletter and want people to sign up for it, you
absolutely need to have a privacy policy. Don't bury it at the bottom of the
page either, put it right up where people can read it -- like near your sign up
form. Your policy needs to tell people how you process the information and how
people can contact you with questions or concerns. You also need to tell them
right away their names and addresses will not be sold to anyone else without
their specific consent -- and absolutely do not violate this policy. What does
this have to do with e mail newsletter content? Nothing! But it does relate to
the overall newsletter content and is a "must have" in terms of complying with
the rules of professional and ethical MLM marketing.
Great, you have people signing up! Send them a Hi and Welcome Aboard note
immediately. Let them know what they'll get and how often -- and -- tell them
right away how they can unsubscribe if they want to. There's nothing more
frustrating than not getting this information and then having to hunt for it
later.
If you do get a spam complaint, or worse yet, your Internet Service Provider
(ISP) gets one, don't worry! Chances are the person forgot they opted in to
your newsletter service. This is the best reason of all to keep accurate
subscription records INCLUDING the web site address they signed up from and the
date.
MLM E-Mail Newsletters and How to Stay in Touch
Multi Level Marketing (MLM) e mail newsletters are a great way to stay in touch
with customers or prospect clients. Your newsletter gives them tips and
information about your product and how to use it, provides them with chances to
win things and an opportunity to contact you at any time with questions or
concerns. Excellent marketing tactics, and the best way to keep you and your
product "out there".
Top of mind awareness is good for your business and you need to keep all
aspects of your e mail marketing newsletters current, and that includes
updating your customer list. If you're list is getting a bit haggard about the
edges and could stand being freshened up, make sure you ask your customers to
opt-in AGAIN. Make sure you also ask if they wish to continue getting your
messages, never assume. What you can do is ask them to opt-in again by sending
you an e mail (a perfect chance to talk to them), click on a link or visit a
web page. The e mail route is really the preferred one, simply because it gives
you the perfect chance to get caught up with the person and tell them about new
things happening with your business that will benefit them.
One thing you also really need to do is -- yes in this instance you can assume
-- that people won't always remember subscribing to your mailings. What do you
do? Easy, just add in a short THANKS for subscribing at the beginning of each
mailing. This reminds them it's NOT spam, and that they asked to receive it.
Speaking of spam, avoid certain terms in your message subject lines AND in the
body text. Spam filters these days are very aggressive and if you use the wrong
terms, your mailing is wasted. Create unique subject lines, specific to your
letter or you or you company -- do not use terms frequently used by spammers.
This will guarantee you'll be deleted before you get opened, or get complained
about.
MLM Promotional Postcards
Postcards an efficient, very easy to create and powerful marketing tool for MLM
marketing. They're useful for customer up sells and cross sells, direct
purchase, lead generation and brand awareness. It's truly amazing how an
effectively written postcard e-mail will do the trick. Why? Because this
postcard is sent after you're done your relationship marketing. The person
receiving it is expecting it and wants to hear what you have to say.
A promotional postcard e-mail sometimes promotes an event, but not always.
Here's a quick example: If I helped you get started in an online business from
home, and in a few short years you were earning enough money to retire and
still make a good income and live the lifestyle you always wanted to live,
would you send me a Thank You note? Well, that's what I want to do. Please take
my tour at the following web site.
You could also try the promotional teaser -- an e-mail that is exactly what it
says it is -- it teases you, leaving you wanting to know MORE. Again, here's a
couple of quick examples so you get the idea.
Subject: Lions and Pigs Text: make a good team. Be there when we need you!
Subject line: Piggy Went To College Text: And, the students will love the end
result. See you next week!
Now it's your turn! Let's get creative with your business and try this:
Subject: Our Purple Business Will Intrigue You Text: and grow with our free
support and coaching designed to provide you with cash when your articles are
sold.
Meet our Purple Consultants at (location)
PS Apply for your spot on our team today!
Here's another thing you can use as well. A promotional catalogue. It's
basically email that literally contains your catalogue of products and all your
business opportunites.(products)
Before writing this kind of e mail, you need to know how to match your
competition or beat them. What do you have that others do not? ie team support,
training, a unique new idea etc. You also need to know and be realistic about
what "they have" that you don't so you don't make the mistake of saying
something you can't back up.
MLM Expert Status by Writing Articles
You're in the Party Plan business, also commonly referred to as Direct Sales or
MLM. You want to promote your business in an easy and inexpensive way, but don't
know how. If you can write or have someone write for you, you have the perfect
opportunity to write about lead generation, how to market successfully, or how
to recruit. This establishes YOU as the expert and guess what? You get some
very nice benefits such as: lead generation, increased site traffic, and
improved search engine ranking.
This method of marketing is so popular, you can even find software packages and
web sites to help you syndicate your articles easily to hundreds and even
thousands of other sites. Imagine the number of people you could introduce to
your product! Imagine the number of recruits you could find this way.
Here's a powerful example of article marketing. Marketer John Doe submits an
article to iSnare (an article distribution service). It's free to submit to
them, but John decides to spend $2.00. His article was sent to over 150 other
distribution lists, which in turn sent his article to even more lists. Within a
couple of weeks, John's article (he Googled it) returned about 650 results. 650
other sites that posted his article and created links back to his site. THAT'S
A LOT OF LINKS. Think of the team building you could do with those results!
Think of the number of people who now regard you as the expert in your field.
Your article needs to be well-written, focused, easy-to-understand and helpful
to your readers. DO NOT blatantly promote your product or service or it won't
get run. Put a link to your site in the resource box and try to stay away from
other links in your article -- they often get taken out by the editors. BE
SUBTLE, it will get you a lot further than a two by four.
Places to get started with your article marketing are: iSnare and The Phantom
Writers and ArticleMarketer. Do a Google search for article distribution
services and you'll get hundreds of other places to submit your expert article
for at home business netrepreneurs. You can choose to spend some money to do
this, but if you do your research carefully, you'll find the most cost
effective way. And in some cases, free ways to accomplish your goals!
MLM Relationship Marketing
Simply put, relationship marketing puts the word custom back in customer. Seems
simple enough doesn't it? Almost a no brainer, but relatively rare in many
marketing circles. The focus now is on attracting customers rather than keeping
them -- a term referred to as offensive marketing. It's slowly changing over
time, but how bizarre is that, to not try and keep your existing customers?
Relationship marketing will make all the difference in the world, not to
mention it can save you and your business money.
Relationship marketing evolved from direct response marketing in the 1960's,
emerging in the 80's to become a system that places emphasis on building longer
term relationship customers rather than on single transactions. This marketing
philosophy means, understanding customer's needs as they go through their
buying life cycle. Put another way, offering a range of products/services, as
your customers actually need them.
Why would focusing on your existing customers be more profitable? If you're
constantly spending money and resources to land new clients, you aren't paying
attention to your loyal customers -- the ones who are keeping you in business
now. Ignore them at your own peril. This is called churn, or the customers who
won't come back to you if you alienate them. Another term for trying to keep
customers and increase their loyalty is called defensive marketing. Customers
who have already bought something from you are your bread and butter, your key
to continued profitability. Bottom line? You NEED them and can't afford to lose
them. They're your assets. And you value assets and treat them accordingly.
Customer loyalty is worth money to your business, since the cost of keeping an
existing customer is only about 10 per cent of the cost of getting a new one.
Lesson is? Pay attention to your present customers and your MLM business will
have a solid footing for the future.
MLM Marketing with PPC
We learned in an earlier article that MLM marketing can get a huge boost in
traffic by (among other things) paying for traffic to be sent to your business
site. That's the Pay Per Click (PPC) option. It means biding for the highest
spot in the engine rankings. You already found out you can do this yourself,
but that if you wanted to, you could pay to do this.
This is an area, although fraught with a few pitfalls, may pay off for you and
your business if you take the time to do some solid research first. The other
thing you will want to consider is not just doing PPC, but combining it with
Search Engine Optimization. This gives you two methods to capture more market
share. Combined, they're more powerful as a team than they are standing alone.
PPC actually has a fairly long history. It was the IN thing at the end of the
90's -- the famous dot com boom. But, since it was so new and no one really
knew what to do with it, it fell by the wayside, a victim of click fraud.
Advertisers just went some place else and did their thing in safety. Is PPC
click fraud still around? Most definitely, and that is due to the way it works.
However, having said that, the industry is diligently working on ways to solve
it. Look for even better things in the future with PPC.
There are hundreds of engines you could use to go the PPC route and five were
already covered in an earlier article. Here are five more PPC search engines
you can buy traffic from.
One: MSN AdCentre -- new player on the block, still has some glitches to work
out as it's frustrating
Two: 7Search -- smaller engine, good quality traffic good interface.
Three: Search 123 -- One of the first search engines. Cost effective, good
support. Fund with $50, they'll give you $20 free.
Four: SearchFeed -- Strong return on investment, reasonable search volume.
Geographical targeting available with 11 countries
Five: ABCSearch -- Solid targeting, decent traffic sources, good customer
service. Will match your initial deposit up to $100
MLM Marketing and Recruiting Pointers
In multi level marketing (MLM), relationship marketing if used properly,
ensures you enroll loyal team members, and keep them. They duplicate your
efforts. Article marketing is smart marketing. YOU provide articles you've
written to other Web sites, blogs and eZines for free. This establishes you as
an expert, give you leads, increased site traffic and improved search engine
rankings. Blogging and SEO (search engine optimization) are two other tools.
Blogging provides an arena to combine text, images, links to other blogs, and
web pages. About what? You and your business. SEO in this instance, refers to
understanding what human visitors might search for, and to help match those
visitors with sites offering what they want to find. In order to use any of
these marketing tools successfully, it's important to work with the right
people. People who can help you build your business.
So, who can help you build your business? Let's take a reverse look at
recruiting! Everyone knows you need to recruit lots of people for your
downline, to make your online business a success, to ensure a good income.
Notice the term good, or qualified, or partner wasn't mentioned. That's because
the current recruiting philosophy doesn't take into consideration anything else
other than the fact you need warm bodies. Bad MLM move and an even worse move
for your online business success. Why?
If you don't take the time to properly qualify prospects -- you can expect them
to a) perform badly b) drop out quickly c) not perform at all or d) cost you
business and give you a bad name and reputation. Qualifying people you are
going to work with is worth its weight in gold. It takes extra time, but you
can't afford NOT to do this.
If your business relies on cold calls, referrals, instant messenger
communications, etc. you know the importance of properly qualifying prospects.
You learn about your prospect and their needs and determine how your product
can meet those needs.
MLM Marketing and Building Traffic for Your Site
Building traffic is NOT easy and anyone that tells you it is, and they can
drive traffic to your site is not being honest. Try and avoid the "Join us and
get more hits" parade and try some of these suggestions instead. Besides, hits
don't always convert to customers either.
Do you have good content? It has to provide value to others. Think about what
you say to your audience. Think about how your writing will affect people. It's
hard work, but generates long-term referral traffic. You've heard that saying
"Quality is more important than quantity". When it comes to traffic building,
this is VERY true. Focus on creating the best content you can.
Do you have original content? Yes, it takes way more work to do that, but it
will work for you. When visitors to your site read original content, it's going
to have an impact on them. And the best thing? It's hard to compete with an
original content site, and sites like this tend to keep their traffic. So, if
you have a way with the written word, this will stand you in good stead. Is
your content timeless? Is it going to provide value for years to come? If you
write something that will be relevant to future generations, it's relevant and
meaningful today. Why is this important? Timeless content affects people on a
deeper level, makes them think, may even promote change in their lives because
it has meaning to your readers. Write about the meaning of things, not
happenings.
Do you write for humans, not computers? In other words, ignore search engine
rankings. Why would you ignore those rankings? Because if you write things that
people find valuable and meaningful, your word-of-mouth referrals will bring you
substantial traffic that stays with you. In addition, it means you aren't a
slave to search engine algorithms.
Do you write in a fashion so people know who you are? Do you tell stories about
yourself to make a point? To inform? This is the most powerful kind of writing
and it can impact on your traffic because people will relate to your
experiences. Letting people know YOU builds a better connection with your
audience and gives you repeat traffic. What a remarkable way to generate leads,
customers, new business, team members, and traffic.
MLM and Private Label Marketing
Private label rights (PLR)marketing might be just the perfect solution for you
for your MLM needs. You need fresh, new articles on a weekly basis, content to
update your site, and PLR is a good way to add relevant, creative, search
engine friendly content to your MLM website. It's pretty difficult to research
and write the number of articles you'd need and still run an MLM business.
Just what are PLR? Among other things, PLR articles are a fairly new creature
to the Net. In short form, PLR articles allow you to make another author's work
yours by changing its content. That could vary from writing an introduction
paragraph or editing the title, to completely modifying it any way you want and
adding your name as its creator. It really doesn't matter what approach you take
to re-working your PLR article, it's a lot easier to work with an existing
article than it is to start a brand new one from scratch.
Why would you want to tweak your PLR articles? You would for the simple reason
that most of them will not have been written with any particular keyword in
mind, so it's up to you to fix it so the search engines will find them. And
that's a good thing, as it means your articles will be unique. You will also
want to change their tone, and add your own personality to them. Remember that
the more original your article is, the better long term results you'll have for
your MLM site and business.
Just one last bit of information you will need to know about using PLR articles
-- you definitely do need to change them after you have bought them. This is to
avoid duplicate content and the search engine filters that are now starting to
gang up on duplicate content offenders. Better to be safe than sorry and find
your site zapped or banned.
MLM and More Blogging For Business Tips
You've decided to "go for it" and create a blog about your MLM marketing
business. You're well on your way to becoming a blogger of some expertise, but
are running out of ideas to make it fresh and appealing. Here's a few things
you can do to spice things up.
You can add extra facts not found in an article, show your own expertise in the
area or invite others to submit their observations. No matter what way you
choose to do it, you win! Remember, with a blog you need to get to the point
fast as there isn't lots of room to write a novel. Best you don't do the essay
route either as these days people don't have enough time to be reading lengthy
articles on the Net. What you're really doing for them is pre-screening or
filtering sites that would be of interest, quality sites, because you've
already checked them out. This brings us to another point, having an audience
vs. a public. An audience is passive. A public participates, which is what you
want with your blog because ultimately, you want leads.
Another angle you can explore with your blog is how you want to write it. It
can be a mixture of links, commentary and personal notes, or a record of your
own thoughts (a quick reflection on something you observed or tried at work)
Whichever style you choose, remember to make it distinctive to you, written in
your own voice, letting your personality come to the fore. This makes sense,
because one of the principle tenets of relationship marketing is getting to
know your prospects, and letting them get to know you.
The kinds of blogs you'd likely be the most interested in would be the:
Private blogs -- usually the most popular
Business blogs -- for businesses
Corporate blogs -- used internally for a business (marketing, branding, PR)
MLM and Blogging for Business
Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging, the frequent, usually chronological
publications of personal thoughts and Web links. Often a mixture of what is
happening in a person's life and what is happening on the Net. Call it the
Reality TV of the Internet.
There doesn't seem to be much that isn't covered as a topic for a blog, so why
not jump in with both feet and blog about your business and how to be a
successful MLM marketer. What a tremendous vehicle for telling people what you
are doing, how you are doing it and all about your team and training. You can
also add pictures, product descriptions, and yes, even comments from other
people.
Blogs have been around since early 1997, but really took off in popularity when
automated publishing systems were introduced -- ie. Blogger at blogger.com. Just
so you don't get confused, stick to the term blog, rather than the other
alternative "weblog" as it means a server's log files. By 1999 there were 23 in
existence, but it didn't stay that way long. Blogs and blogging mushroomed
rapidly until it was almost impossible to keep up with them. Those who designed
software got into the mix and came up with even more ways for people to publish
their own blogs.
The history that's important for you to know, because it directly relates to
what you can do with your blog, is that original weblogs were link-driven.
Today's blogs are also link driven and there is your key to the success of your
MLM marketing blog. Seek out unusual links, interesting links, teaching links,
and learning links for your blog, and add you own review or commentary to them.
Send your blog link to existing customers, potential customers, your team, even
others in your up and down lines. You'd be surprised at the exposure you'll get
so long as your blog is well done and doesn't come across like one large
advertisement for your business.
MLM and Article Marketing
When you think about search engine rankings, you usually think of search engine
optimization (SEO). The tweaking, and juggling of something called algorithms to
get a higher ranking. First of all, SEO is highly over rated and has been made
way too complicated. What really happens is this -- people go to search for
something -- be it cars, handbags or home business opportunities -- and they
type certain search words into the browser. It's the WORDS people use to search
that really affect your rankings. Yes, there are other things that affect the
rankings, but by and large it's a pretty basic little old word or two that
kicks off the whole thing.
Key Effectiveness Index is the ranking of words used by people when they search
for product A. They get site A through D etc. as a result because the words they
used to search are prominently used on those sites -- either in the meta tags at
the top of the page (something you can not see) -- or they are used in your copy
(most often the top 25 words as that is what the engines typically crawl). Okay
you're thinking, so what? How does that relate to me and article marketing?
This is so easy you'll be delighted, because anyone can do this effectively.
Article marketing means YOU provide something you've written -- on marketing,
home business opportunities, training, etc. -- to other Web sites, blogs, and
eZines for FREE. Yup, FREE! Why? Because in return you get to include a short
bio and links back to your site in the resource box that appears at the end of
your article. By the way, your article will fit into a niche that you get to
pick. So if you want to write about team building or blogging, then your site
link should lead back to a site that most directly relates to your topic.
MLM Marketing with SEO
MLM is complicated enough as it is without adding to it right? Well
unfortunately as with a lot of things these days, they get increasingly more
complicated without any real reason, as their popularity increases. They start
out as a relatively easy idea, then along comes someone who makes it more
complex than it really needs to be. That seems to be the case Pay Per Click
(PPC) marketing. Pay per click means a search engine that bases its search
rankings on a "bid for position" basis.
PPC is fast becoming the MOST popular form of Internet advertising. It's the
major way to drive traffic to your business site almost instantly.
unfortunately, it's also becoming more and more convoluted and expensive.
Basically, you bid a price per click to be in a specific position of the search
rankings for a particular keyword or keyword phrase. For example, the #1
position on the search phrase "pay per click" required a bid of $2.03 per
click, but the 15th position was only a bid of $0.85. What position you want
and what you're willing to bid to get the position is up to YOU!
Your budget and a willingness to go for a higher bid number affects your site's
ranking. In other words, the higher your bid, the better you ranking when search
engine returns are displayed. You're not charged the PPC bid until someone
actually clicks or selects your website name or URL.
So, if you want to really kick start your site, this is the way to do it. But
remember one thing, you need to stay current. You can't rest on your laurels
and just do it once -- unless of course you have so much business you can
hardly stand it.
There are literally hundreds of PPC search engines you can buy traffic from.
Which ones are really worth your time? Here's a few to get you started.
One: Google AdWords -- biggest and best for volume, traffic quality and user
interface. Most expensive.
Two: Yahoo! Search Marketing -- First GoTo.com, then Overture, high volume and
quality with a few bargains still around. $50 credit on sign up.
Three: MIVA -- One of the best, and under rated PPC search engines. $5 credit
on sign up
Four: Enhance -- strong emerging PPC search engine, solid quality control. $25
bonus on sign up
Five: GoClick- Cheap traffic, fast growing, loyal following, lets you start an
account with only $10 and bid from one cent.
Marketing Online With Organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Basically, marketing is about helping customers/ prospects find your
website/business -- looking to grow your business, increase sales leads, or
lower customer acquisition costs. You've already read about one way to do that,
but smart marketing means you'll use a combination of both SEO AND PPC. Call it
online search engine advertising if you will -- it works and generates new
business. To be even more specific: organic search engine optimization is the
process of optimizing a web site or page so it ranks well in the free listings
of the search engines. This is the best (and least expensive) option for
getting visitors. Why? Visitors click on free organic listings more often than
paid listings.
Something else you need to know so you realize just how important this is for
your site. Just about 65% of business websites were created solely for
customers without any search engine optimization. Translation: two thirds of
businesses on the web are in the bottom of engine results. Since approximately
85% of online sales come from search engine traffic -- you've got a problem.
Without getting into too much detail about "how-to" accomplish this organic
optimization -- suffice it to say the methods are called "White Hat" and
involve keyword research, key phrase placement in your Meta tags and content,
and the application of special formatting such as headers, bold and bullets.
Remember to do both online AND offline optimization. This includes regularly
submitting to directories, writing press releases, submitting articles, and
getting other links pointing back to your site. To get relevant links -- start
a blog about your key phrase. Link from it to your web site, and keep the
content on both fresh and original. The good news? 70% of search engine users
visit organic sites, and 50% of them select the top results. Imagine what that
will mean for your marketing site.
Google AdWords offers you:
Targeted reach
Now you can advertise to people searching on Google. Even if you already appear
in Google's search results, AdWords can help you target new audiences on Google
and our advertising network.
Greater control
You can edit your ads and adjust your budget until you get the results you
want. You can also display a variety of ad formats and even target your ads to
specific languages and geographic locations.
Measurable value
There's no minimum spending requirement or time commitment. And with the
cost-per-click option, you're only charged if people click your ads. This means
every dollar of your budget goes toward bringing new prospects to you.
Sign up now | Next topic
Local and regional targeting
Set your ads to appear only to people searching in a particular region. Now
it's easy to target online customers within, say, 25 miles of your front door.
Learn more
Local business ads
Get noticed on Google Maps. People searching for information related to your
business will see your location, contact information, and an image of your
choosing highlighted on a map of your area. Sign up now
An MLM Market has No Borders
You can't market anything unless you have all the information you need. You
need good solid direction, and to get that, you need good solid information.
You also need to understand the market potential for your products, services
and programs you offer. You have to choose your products, etc with an eye to
building a team, to recruiting and to obtaining and maintaining a good client
base. Without these things, you'll be another MLM marketer with a good idea,
and not be able to accomplish anything. Chances are you'd be out of business
almost before you even got started.
Team building (those below you who will duplicate what you do), with a program
or product/service, substantially expands your marketing potential. Because
very simply, the more people you have under you, the more business you can
generate. The more business you generate, the greater your income. Great
concept, but not always an easy one to accomplish -- at least not alone.
With the expansion of your marketing potential, the type of person you target
market to also grows significantly larger. These people will have the ability
to become part of your personal team and build secondary incomes by utilizing
the tools and training you provide them.
To get a good grasp of just how large your market potential really is, you need
to understand that literally ANYONE in ANY group you belong to -- personal,
business, chat groups, clubs, is a potential member of your team. In addition,
ANYONE in another networking program is also a potential client. Also, watch
for all the people who are looking for a home-based business. The numbers are
staggering. If you can snag them and get them working for YOU, not only do you
benefit, so do they. Imagine how many potential team members, and potential
customers you could find in just that one sector.
Where do YOU Find MLM Leads?
We've already learned that lead generation can be achieved in many ways using:
* Search Engine Optimization
* Bounce Backs
* Networking
* Target Marketing
* Lead Purchasing
But, HOW precisely do you generate leads with these methods? Let's take a
closer look and find out how. We'll do the first two in this article -- SEO and
Bounce Backs.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is used by smaller businesses right on up to Fortune 500 companies to
improve online exposure and get a larger market share of customers. SEO can be
broken down into two categories -- Pay Per Click (PPC) and Natural or Organic.
If you're using PPC for your website, your site needs to be optimized for your
target audience. This means you have to identify your audience first, and then
put the right kind of content in your site for that market. Once the site is
optimized with the key words and content for your target market check out the
PPC sellers (ie Google Adwords) and launch your campaign. PPC can be effective
if you know what you are doing, and conversely, can be expensive if you don't
know what you're doing. Research all your options first, and take the time to
learn how to use PPC properly.
Natural or Organic searches use a site's meta tags in conjunction with content.
Both these things make a difference in the search engine rankings and the
results returned from a search. This isn't paid for, it's all in how well
you've done your tweaking job for the engine spiders to find and rank you. This
method is admittedly a lot of work, as in, you must always supply the site with
fresh and relevant content that targets your market. If you don't update
content on a regular basis or swipe someone else's work, you'll drop in the
rankings. You also have to know what various search engines are looking for in
content and originality.
Bounce backs are a response to an opportunity e-mail that someone sends you.
These are good candidates because they're actively building a business. The
down side to this lead generation method is you'll be receiving a lot of emails
that people label as SPAM. Yes these e-mails are a nuisance, but they can also
be pay dirt for you. Basically, you get on mailing lists, verify e mails sent
to you, and then learn how to respond to the various solicitations/replies you
get in return. This can actually be a lot of fun.
Where Do You Find MLM Leads -- Part Two
We learned in the above article about where to find MLM leads, that you could
use search engine optimization and pay per click options. This article covers
networking, target marketing and purchased leads. We've touched on these
briefly in other articles, but in this one, you will find out the how-to use
part of each one.
First, networking. It is often the simplest and easiest method for most people.
If you love talking with people and building relationships through groups and
forums, then just adapt your approach to the people you talk to who are
interested in network marketing. It's as simple as just talking to people and
being open and friendly. Once they get to know you and like you, they'll be
interested in what you are doing, and willing to hear what you have to
say/offer. This approach does take a bit longer, as you can't just rush a
relationship by saying Hello, my name is xxxx, did you know I market xxxx
product? Take the time to really get to know who you are talking to, and in the
process be a smart marketer and pre-qualify those you talk to. You can use Yahoo
Groups, Google Groups and other online forums such as MySpace, and industry
specific places, like Ryze or Direct Match.
Second, target marketing. There are a number of ways to do this. What you could
do is contact other people in programs similar to yours and see how they are
doing with their business. You never know when you will find someone who is
either ready for a change or would like some help from you. This is another
smart market move as it gives you access to people already into marketing. You
know that old saying: "If you want something done, ask the busiest person."
Another area of target marketing, is talking to people with similar personal
interests as yours. It's a good place to start communicating back and forth
that can lead to you telling them what you do.
Third, purchased leads. They tend to come in many different flavors, meaning,
there are a variety of qualities available. If you want to buy leads, make sure
you check the source and their reputation before doing that. If you're willing
to spend the money on quality leads, expect to spend a fair penny for solid
leads. If you're buying leads that need to be contacted by phone, then be
prepared to act on them. There's also auto-responder quality leads. Yes, you
have the ability to find leads on your own, without spending a lot of money,
and you've already learned about that in an earlier article. Bottom line? Work
hard, work smart and do the leg work on your own for the best investment you
could possibly have in your own business. It will pay off in the long run.
WHAT IS NETWORK MARKETING?
At times like this when you just want a quick definition -- the dictionary
comes in right handy. Network marketing is a business in which a distributor
network is needed to build the business. Usually such businesses are also MLM
in nature (payouts also occur at more than one level). Network Marketing is
sometimes also used incorrectly to indicate the business uses a network of
product suppliers to offer a broader selection of products. It's usually used
this way to differentiate themselves as a way to suggest their program is
superior to other such programs. Clear as mud?
Okay let's go at it from another angle. If you're involved in an organization
where you are actively trying to promote a product to just about everyone you
can think of and you're told to get/sponsor people under you -- you're involved
in network marketing. And, these questions will likely ring some very loud bells
for you.
Detest bugging your family, friends and people who fervently praying you won't
bring up your 'business' opportunity? Cringe at the mere thought of 'following
up' with your massage therapist after putting her on a third party call to
explain your opportunity? Ever wished you could just carry on a conversation
with someone without constantly thinking of ways to recruit them? Sick of being
told "Do more of it!' and you don't know what you're supposed to be doing more
of? Tired of hounding people you know couldn't care less about your business?
If you answered yes to these questions, you're involved in network marketing.
The biggest thing you'll have issues with is HOW you're supposed to get "leads"
to buy what you're offering. It involves your enroller (your upline) and your
recruits (your downline). The upline is tells you what to do, how to do it --
sort of. Uplines don't always tell you everything you REALLY need to know. I.E.
buy your leads for .74 cents (but you have to buy 200) Things are not what they
appear to be. Hang in or bale? Only experience will help you make up your mind.
What Is Lead Generation?
Lead is the manufacture of connections between well-matched consumers and
target corporate vendors. Which really just means finding people who will buy
what you have to sell. It's often seen as the grunt work of building an
effective business, but where would you be WITHOUT customers? So, you need to
learn the skill of generating leads.
How do you generate leads? Several ways: advertising, trade shows, publicity
and public relations, product literature, and somewhat less successfully by
spam (definitely not recommended) All these methods are based on the
statistical likelihood that if you communicate to a large audience, you should
get a response back.
Another method of obtaining leads is buying them. Lead generation can certainly
be expensive, but that's actually a matter of what route you choose. It does NOT
have to be. There are very simple and effective ways to generate leads that
don't cost and arm and a leg, especially if you're willing to put some elbow
grease into it and learn the techniques.
Cold leads people really love to hate because they've had to contact with these
people before calling or writing them. Warm leads are people who responded to a
request (or opted in by signing up for something). They either respond to you
directly, or respond to you through your website. Hot leads are people who
responded, indicating an interest in your MLM business. All leads need follow
through, but different kinds of follow through, and these are the skills you
need to learn. This will interest you, conversion rates on leads you receive
often have a higher conversion rate than cold contacts. Why? Because the
prospect is prequalified, before you ever receive the lead. In other words,
they asked to receive the information you have.
Companies spend huge amounts of time, effort, and money trying to get a few
people to respond out of a large pool of potential customers to become a new
lead. Yet, they don't invest the time to follow up. Every day you let a lead
sit unattended it decreases in value. You get out of lead generation what you
put into it. Once you have a lead, start relationship marketing and build from
there.
Relationship Prospecting by E-Mail
This is pretty straight forward and is based on the fact that you have already
built a relationship with your prospect -- it's someone you know and think
would be a good team member for your MLM business. You'll provide them with the
information they need to know to make an informed decision about joining you.
This type of e-mail doesn't have to be any more than about 400 words, but it
must contain at least 3 calls to action that are the same. For instance, ask
them to visit just one particular page of your website three times. Why? Too
confusing if you ask them to visits other pages. Stick to the basics and make
sure you have that covered thoroughly.
Ok you've learned you need at least three calls to action in this type of
e-mail and that it means you want them to go to your business web site. Try for
one PS, but ideally two with the second being a PSS. By the way, the PSS should
be the third call to action.
The next category of email marketing is the Relationship Informative arena.
Notice the word Informative. That's the key to this kind of e-mail marketing.
You've likely seen these in newsletters and ezines -large one page
informercials, that don't ask anyone to buy anything. They're only there to
just provide information. You need to be very careful you don't come across as
a MLM Marketer. Your only goal here is to merely provide information in an
informational manner. Usually in about 1,500 words give or take.
Studies show e-newsletters that are informative are preferred, but only about
11% of newsletters are read thoroughly. Lesson is? Layout and content are KING.
Readers will ignore or delete newsletters that aren't perceived as useful. Since
your whole reason for marketing is to retain customers, this is a skill you NEED
to master.
Prospecting for Leads
If your MLM business relies on cold calls, referrals, instant messenger
communications, and e-mails you already know the importance of properly
qualifying prospects. You need to learn about your prospect and their needs and
then figure out how your product meets those needs. That means you need a
qualified prospect.
What's a qualified prospect and where on earth do you find them. A qualified
prospect is a person (or business) who needs or wants your product because it
satisfies a need or solves some problem they have. How will your prospect know
if what you're offering is going to help? They've never heard of you or your
product until you contacted them. They'll know because you've done your
homework before contacting them and know what will enhance their business.
That's where good solid Internet research comes in handy.
Now you start getting to know your prospect, or in other words, you start
relationship marketing. Over time talking to them, you'll get a clear picture
about them and their needs, and you'll know if you want to work with them on
your Team. REMEMBER: Your products and your service and how you offer it and
conduct business IS YOUR BUSINESS and you don't want just anyone to help you
build it. Some will let you know right away they aren't interested. Some will
call you names. Some simply don't understand how you could possibly help them,
until you educate them. And here's something you need to know and work WITH,
not against. Some prospects for your Team will rule themselves out with their
questions to you. For instance: How hard do I have to work to make any money?
How fast can I make money? Is this an MLM scheme? You'll know right away your
business isn't for them.
Why? Because they will not work to make your business work for them or for you.
And you're not in business to lose business or customers.
Don't waste countless hours trying to convince people to work with you. They
either want to because they recognize the value of the opportunity or they
don't want to and hounding them isn't going to make any difference.